Dujardin, Bejo drawn on for Santa Barbara Fest recognition

Jean Dujardin and Brnice Bejo, who presently star in "The Artist," will get the Santa Barbara Worldwide Film Festival's Cinema Vanguard Award in a February. 4 tribute, festival executive director Roger Durling introduced Wednesday. "At a time of sight-and-seem spectacle, there's potential risk inside a quiet film," Durling stated inside a statement. "Jean and Brnice's acting is definitely an amazing pas des deux both physically and psychologically -- remembering classic Hollywood combinations like Hepburn and Tracy, not to mention Ginger root and Fred." SBIFF, which runs Jan. 26 through February. 5, is really a key stop around the campaign trail for Oscar hopefuls. The Cinema Vanguard Award will probably keep Dujardin and Bejo surface of mind for Academy voters and help "The Artist" maintain momentum throughout the balloting process. The award has formerly been given to Nicole Kidman, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Stanley Tucci, Peter Sarsgaard, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ryan Gosling. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com